Category: News

Comprehensive, up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by EduindexNews.

Auf wiedersehen

This is my good bye to everyone in the Facilitating eLearning Communities course.

When writing to the email group to thank them for participating in the course, I realised that the community was really only beginning. Although the course is now officially finished, we will be keeping the email group open so the community can share ideas, tips and stories about their experiences facilitating online. I also invited everyone to help develop the online communities pages on WikiEducator. I hope some will continue to engage in the group.

As a first time facilitator and co-facilitator in the course I found the experience a very challenging and rewarding experience. It has not been easy and it was never boring. Overall, it was extremely interesting to interact online with such a diverse and highly skilled group of educators; everyone in the group had very different needs and expectations. Sometimes I found it frustrating and sometimes I found it confusing – the reactions of the group were not always logical and rarely predictable.

For example, I believed the instructions for the first part of the course were clear and straightforward but that relied on people working systematically through the Blackboard activities and resources. People did not seem to get it. Then we confused people by throwing other technologies into the mix – email group, blog, wiki – as problems came up we offered a range of solutions. There was choice introduced, not just step-by-step and work through the activities and resources on Blackboard….post a discussion in Blackboard. The options threw a lot of people into the pirana pool. People\’s preference for options other than Blackboard meant the platform became redundant as we thought it would in a networked community.

Was it too much too soon?

For the next class, I feel that the Blackboard option will not be an option. Sure we could have shown people a couple of nice to know web 2.0 technologies and left them safely sitting in the learning Management System AND that could have been a community of sorts. Perhaps a subsistence community and a community with very limited means but a gated community – safe but how I hate the idea.

Instead we took the class out into the scary cyber world of uncertainty and unpredictability. Choice was the flavour of the day – ask a question and there were several options to choose from. Good or bad! We took people on a constructionist, constructivist and scaffolded/facilitated pathway with many forks and turns. People were not comfortable and they complained or disappeared from view. The true blue online facilitators did reappear though and they were stronger than when they started and more innovative – yes there were a few bruises and damaged egos – but they made the effort to ride the bull.

I learned a great deal from the experience and am impressed by the tenacity of the community to try out new challenges and experiences. Facilitating the class with Leigh opened new communities I had hitherto tried but avoided eg Second Life, gaming, FaceBook. I really liked the 10 minute lecture series – how fortunate we were to have so many people willing to contribute their know how to the community. My only regret is not having enough time to reflect on my blog about all the events. I can still do this of course because they are all recorded.

I asked the class to forgive us for discombobulating them. I was impressed with the high level of critical thinking and there was significant diversification of the communities\’ online facilitation abilities as we moved through the course. It is clear there is no one magic bullet for success. Each group will be different. Hopefully the group has established some guidelines for themselves and the groups they will go on to facilitate. I hope they can now recognise the need to allow their students room to evolve as a community. I firmly believe that only by providing loosely-structured problems will students be assisted to think critically and really learn how to learn.

I have never forgotten the words of a visiting lecturer years ago who ran a workshop on critical thinking. \”If you want to get your students to think critically, you have to put them in a place where they do not feel comfortable and where they feel challenged, they will not go there on their own.\”

I particularly like the explanation on the uses of critical thinking on Wikipedia. To get this class to think critically about good and bad methods for facilitating online communities it was necessary to present them with experiential real world problems in an online community and not just one or two but a wide range. Just transmitting information to them abut how to facilitate online would not have cut it; they had to experience it warts and all. What was bad to some was good to others and vice versa. Each experience would have beenunique although the community was exposed to the same things.

\”Critical thinking is also critical inquiry, so such critical thinkers investigate problems, ask questions, pose new answers that challenge the status quo, discover new information that can be used for good or ill, question authorities and traditional beliefs, challenge received dogmas and doctrines, and often end up possessing power in society greater than their numbers.\” \”The intellectual skills of critical thinking–analysis, synthesis, reflection, etc.–must be learned by actually performing them.\” (AN INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING by Steven D. Schafersman, 1991).
Facilitating this course has helped me to become better at critical thinking. It is not an easy thing to get the balance right in a course like this and my big question is – should we cater to the lowest common denominator in terms of skill and comfort or should we make the challenge higher and hope for the best. I believe for this class we did the right thing going with the latter – uncomfortable as it was at times for all of us.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Mob Lynching

By- Shrey Jain

Lynching is a premeditated extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor or to intimidate a group. A recent report by India Spend, basing itself on the content analysis of news reports, concludes that “In the first six months of 2017, 20 cowterror attacks were reported–more than 75 percent of the 2016 figure, which was the worst year for such violence since 2010. The attacks include mob lynching, attacks by vigilantes, murder and attempt to murder, harassment, assault and gang-rape. In two attacks, the victims/survivors were chained, stripped and beaten, while in two others, the victims were hanged.”

Mob Lynching
Mob Lynching

According to India Today “, At least 16 cases of lynching have been reported from Tripura to Maharashtra since May 10, the latest being the lynching of five men in Dhule district. These incidents caused deaths of 22 people including a transgender” Social and political commentators have blamed this violence on a rise in socio-political and religious cleavages, a rise of vigilantism and an apparent atmosphere of impunity for attackers.

“The violence started with cow-related vigilantism but it is now building up more violent behavior–from small to big reasons anything could be the trigger,” psychologist Upneet Lalli, deputy director of the Institute of Correctional Administration in Chandigarh, told India Spend.

Videos of people tied and beaten, begging mobs to spare their lives, have been circulating on WhatsApp groups and other social media, affecting people everywhere. Also, Social media is aiding and abetting the process Mob psyche is different from the individual psyche. “When an individual acts, there is a sense of responsibility, but in a mob, there is a dispersion of responsibility and guilt.” The mob justifies its act as heroism to save the community, their identity, their children, themselves.

Classroom Management: Try Positive Discipline

A classroom management approach that focuses on the positive is one time-tested method to deal with kids who are misbehaving. But some who use this approach are getting some brushback from old-school teachers (and parents) who, stubbornly, insist that teachers who employ a use classroom management plan that focuses on only the positive is one that is too “Soft” on children.
However, lots of modern-day teachers still insist that the positive approach is the way to go. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, who has been a successful elementary school educator in Upstate New York for eons, looks at why positive disciplining is still disciplining.
Janelle’s ideas include:
  • Positive Discipline Teaches Logic
  • Rewarding Students for a Good Choice is Positive
  • And More!

In summation, Janelle notes: “The goal of using the positive discipline approach is to produce students who can think critically and make good decisions on their own. It allows students to learn and adapt from their behaviors in order to meet the expectations of their teacher. By teaching students (in a positive way) to make better choices, we are leading them on the path to success.”
Do you use a positive discipline approach in your classroom management techniques? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with this topic in the comment section, we would love to hear your thoughts.
Here\’s why you should use positive discipline in your class every day>>

Subscribe to the TeachHUB.com newsletter
The TeachHUB.com weekly newsletter is the very best way for you receive the best updates from TeaachHUB.com.
By subscribing to the TeachHUB.com newsletter, you’ll get the best news of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. The newsletter contains the best of our lesson plans as well as links to some great archived articles we’ve published in the past. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

प्यूरा योजना

                          Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas –  अरबन एमिनिटीज इन रूरल एरिया का संक्षिप्त रूप है-प्यूरा। इसे हिन्दी में कहा जा सकता है। -’गा्रमीण क्षेत्रों में शहरी सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराना’। इस योजना का उद्देश्य पहचाने गए गा्रमीण क्षेत्रों में शहरी सुविधाओं के सृजन और आधुनिक किफायती सम्पर्क के माध्यम से गा्रमीण-शहरी अंतर को दूर करना है। ’प्यूरा’ का मूल तथ्य है कि एक शहर के इर्द-गिर्द गांवों में विकास की अन्तर्निहित क्षमता है और यदि इन गांवों को आवश्यक आधारभूत सुविधाएं प्रदान की जाएं, तो वे आस-पास के क्षेत्र के लिए विकास केन्द्रों के ,रूप में उभर सकते हैं। इस योजना का उद्देश्य है- विकास की क्षमता रखने वाले चयनित नगरों के आस-पास गा्रमीण समूहों को पहचानना और उन समूहों से निम्नलिखित चार प्रकार की सम्पर्कता प्रदान करना-
                1.सड़क, परिवहन और बिजली की उपलब्धता।     2.बाजार सम्पर्कता जिससे किसान एवं अन्य गा्रमीण उत्पादक अपने उत्पादों के लिए अधिकतम मूल्य प्राप्त कर सकें।
          3.विश्वसनीय टेलिकॉम, इंटरनेट एवं सूचना प्रोद्योगिकी सुविधाओं के साथ इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स सम्पर्कता।
                4.अच्छी शैक्षिक एवं प्रशिक्षण संस्थाओं के रूप में ज्ञान उपलब्ध कराना। शहरों के आस-पास जिन गा्रमीण समूहों का चयन किया जाएगा उनके लिए अलग-अलग विस्तृत परियोजना रिर्पोट तैयार की जाएगी, जिससे कि वहां सृजित की जाने वाली विश्ष्टि आधारभूत सुविधाओं की पहचान की जा सके। वैसे सामान्य तौर पर प्रत्येक गा्रमीण समूह को निम्नलिखित सुविधाएं अवश्य उपलब्ध कराई जाएंगी-‘प्यूरा‘ के लिए जो नीति अपनाई गई है उसके अन्तर्गत ‘प्यूरा‘ समूहों में सृजित की जाने वाली आधारभूत सुविधाएं, योजना के पहले चरण में, भारत सरकार एवं राज्य सरकारों की मौजूदा योजनाओं के माध्यम से सृजित की जाएगी। ऐसी अनेक योजनाएं हैं जिनका उपयोग चुने हुए समूहों के विकास के लिए किया जा सकता है। आधारभूत सुविधाएं सृजित करने के अलावा स्वर्णजयंती गा्रम स्वरोजगार योजना जैसी योजनाओं का उपयोग इन समूहों के गरीबों को स्वरोजगार के अवसर उपलब्ध कराने के लिए नए तरीके से किया जा सकता है। उदाहरणार्थ-लोगों को टैक्सी सर्विस, कृषि सेवा केन्द्र, विपणन सुविधाएं आदि शुरू करने के लिए वित्तिय सहायता दी जा सकती है। इस तरह दी गई सुविधाओं के अलावा समूह के विकास के लिए अन्य मंत्रालयों की योजनाओं का भी उपयोग किया जा सकता है। लेकिन आधारभूत सुविधा सम्बन्धी कमी को पूरा करने के लिए ‘प्यूरा‘ के अन्तर्गत सिर्फ अनुपूरक सहायता दी जाएगी।
                                ’प्यूरा’ जैसी परियोजना देश में पहली बार शुरू की जा रही है, इसलिए यह जरूरी है कि इसे देश भर में चलाने से पहले कुछ प्रायोगिक परियोजनाओं के माध्यम से इसकी सफलता की जांच की जाए। इसी उद्देश्य से 2004-05 के दौरान इस तरह की केवल सात प्रायोगिक परियोजनाएं सात राज्यों में शुरू की जाएंगी। वे सात राज्य हैं- उत्तर -प्रदेश, राजस्थान, बिहार,उड़ीसा, महाराष्ट्र, असम और आंध्र प्रदेश। प्रायोगिक परियोजनाओं को 10-15 गांवों के एक समूह से शुरू किया जाएगा। प्यूरा के अंतर्गत परियोजनाओं की जांच उनकी स्वीकृति और कार्यान्वयन की निगरानी के लिए एक संचालन समिति गठित की गई। भारत सरकार के सचिव को इस समिति का अक्ष्यक्ष बनाया गया। समिति की पहली बैठक 11 जनवरी 2005 को बुलाई गई जिसमें निर्णय लिया गया कि प्रत्येक चयानित समूह को 4-5 करोड़ रूपये की वित्तिय सहायता उपलब्ध कराई जाएगी। प्रारभ्म के चरण में इन परियोजनाओं की कार्य अवधि 3 वर्ष की होगी
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

BEG, STEAL AND BORROW: BUILDING AN HR ANALYTICS TEAM

Analytics is HR’s ticket to boardroom respect and business clout — by becoming data-driven, HR can provide the hard evidence and figures that chief executives and finance directors love. Analytics has become a driving force between both marketing and finance in recent years, so why should human resources be any different?
The majority of senior HR professionals “get” this message. But there’s one problem: Putting people analytics into practice is harder than it seems.

A Shift in Perspective — and Skill Set

A big part of the challenge in building people analytics expertise is simply overcoming the traditional HR structure — transforming the people-focused nature of the industry into a data-driven one not only requires a shift in perspective, but also an entirely new set of skills.
The short supply of mathematical and analytical skills in talent management stymies the uptake of HR analytics. A recent Deloitte study found that while three-quarters of companies believe analytics is important, a dismal 8 percent felt their organizations were actually strong in the area.
It can be quite costly to acquire the right skills, too. A Burtch Works survey, for example, found that an entry-level data science role rakes in a median base salary of $91,000. Of course, given unlimited budget and a fabulous brand, it would be no problem to build a full-time team of talented people. But for most of the corporate world, different tactics (and slow steps) are required.

First Steps for Starting Analytics

Before your team goes truffling for analytics talent to bring on, of course, you need to understand exactly what you should be looking for. Analytics is not a solo sport and an entry-level data scientist won’t cut it. It takes a team of skilled people to truly do analytics right.
There are roughly three skill sets needed: 1) a deep understanding of HR and business, 2) an ability to pull together the data and 3) knowledge of statistical modeling. So, where can you find these skills?
First, look inside the HR department. There may be people within the existing team already demonstrating an aptitude for statistics, or who used it as part of their degree (psychology, for example, has a statistical component to it). With a little training and encouragement, these are the kinds of people who can start making HR data talk.
Alternatively, there may be people from other parts of the company who can move into HR, either on a rotation to share their knowledge or as a permanent move. Employees in the finance department, for example, should be masters at using analytics. Borrow some of their expertise or partner with them to get started.
If you can’t afford permanent members on your staff, bring in contractors or consultants for specific tasks. Or even contact local universities to see if any of their students are interested in hands-on experience to bolster their studies. Starting with outsourced talent may actually help provide the proof of concept you need to increase your team’s budget.

How to Build a Full-Time Team

Eventually, there will come a time when borrowing people isn’t enough and you need to start hiring.
Competition is tough, so you’ll need to stand out from the crowd. Because HR is usually new analytics territory, it will appeal to ambitious analytics or data experts looking for a challenge. Instead of simply focusing on the technical requirements for the job, discuss the opportunities and untapped possibilities of big data for talent management.
This is particularly true if you’re aiming to lure the rarest of analytics beasts: the data scientist. These highly sought-after experts have an unusual mix of skills, but what motivates them above all else are new challenges and the ability to use their creativity. If you can promise autonomy and an enticing mix of projects, you will stand a better chance of attracting top analytics talent.
While it is far from easy or quick to get up to full speed with HR analytics, it is also a journey that needs to be started. If HR doesn’t start doing HR analytics, another department in the company will. In fact, according to research by Harvard Business Review and Visier, 9 percent of organizations have already shifted people analytics out of HR’s clutches altogether.
Do you really want to cede control over how data informs talent management to another department? Didn’t think so.

How to Make the Most of Summer Vacation

It’s almost here – summer vacation!
Summer vacation is the perfect time to recharge, evaluate and the past year, and prepare for the coming August. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned educator, instructs us on how to make the most out of our summer vacations away from the classroom. Her ideas include:
  • Try Something New and Exciting
  • Keep Inspired
  • Spend Time with Your Family
  • And More!

Janelle summates her article thusly: “Truthfully, as much as we try and relax and recharge during the summer months, most teachers still are involved in education-related tasks all summer long. If it’s not teaching summer school, tutoring, adding to their class library, or learning new technology, then it’s going on teaching blogs or thinking of new ways to set up their classroom for the next year. When you’re a teacher, thinking like a teacher never goes away. Just because June has come and summer has arrived doesn’t mean that you can turn your teaching brain off. Make sure that you do at least a few of the tips mentioned above, because it’s quite imperative to take some time for yourself so you don’t get teacher burnout.”
How do you make the most of your summer vacation? Do you have any tips that help you maximize your summer so you can recharge and refocus for the next school year?
Get our tips on recharging during the summer months>>
How to Motivate Students: Tips for Middle Schoolers
Learning how to motivate students is of paramount importance for educators today. A bored and listless class is a reflection of a dull teaching style, and a bored and listless class is one that doesn’t learn.
Today, Janelle Cox, a frequent TeachHUB.com contributing writer, takes a look at the things that motivate children, including technology, friends and peers, and interesting topics.
She outlines several ways to motivate junior high-aged children, including:
•    Giving students a choice
•    Showcasing student work
•    Rewarding Respect
•    And More
Above all, Janelle intones that showing a genuine interest in your students and their lives can go a long way toward creating an atmosphere of motivation.
How do you motivate your middle school students? Do you have any ideas that you would like to share?

Teaching Strategies: Saying A Meaningful Goodbye

Does your school year end on a disappointing note? Does it just kind of peter out, not with a bang, but a whimper (with apologies to T.S. Eliot)? Does your last day happen in an uninspiring manner?
If so, today’s centerpiece article on TeachHUB.com is just for you!
Penned by frequent TeacHHUB.com (and TeachhUB Magazine) contributing writer Jordan Catapano, who is a veteran high school English teacher in the Chicago suburbs, the article mentions and describes in great detail several teaching strategies can make your last day of school as strong as the first one.
Jordan’s teaching strategies to make the last day of school memorable include:  
  • Farewell Address
  • Class Awards
  • A Memento
  • And More!

Jordan sums up his article like this: “There are limitless possibilities for how you choose to end your school year. But whatever you do, don’t shortchange your students by ending on a fizzled-down note. Avoid just watching a movie, reviewing your class study guide, or playing a meaningless game. Instead, focus on how you can cram those last moments with one another in a way that adds value and meaning. This isn’t about making you or your students feel good; but it is about commemorating a great year of learning together and ending in a way that respects the relationships and growth everyone has participated in.”
What will you do on your last day with your students to end on a strong note? Share your plans with our TeachHUB.com community!
Get our teaching strategies on saying a meaningful goodbye>>
Teaching Strategies: Think-Alouds
Think-aloud teaching strategies are methods used to help students monitor and hone their own thinking. When utilized correctly, think-alouds can seriously improve students’ abilities to think critically – a cornerstone of any kind of academic mindset.
Today on TeachHUB.com, contributor Janelle Cox explains why think-alouds are important teaching strategies, how to use them, and how they can serve as an important assessment.
Using a reading assignment as an example, Janelle gives a point-by-point description of how to use think-alouds before, during, and after students complete a reading assignment.
Do you use the think-aloud strategy in your classroom? Do you have any tips on how to effectively use the strategy?

Earth Day Project: Recycle with Students

Though it may not be a question on standardized tests, recycling, energy conservation and green living are crucial factors in our world. Establishing knowledge and good habits about conservation doesn’t have to be a hassle with these classroom tips.

Use Classroom Management to Calm Your Students

Transition times – those chaotic times when students get back from gym class, for instance – are always tricky, even for the most seasoned educators. A class of 25 excited kids can be difficult to manage during these times.

To that end, today on TeachHUB.com, seasoned educator Janelle Cox, who has spent years in the classroom and is also a regular contributor, takes a look at how teachers can use classroom management tactics to calm energized students down.

Janelle’s ideas include:


Janelle sums up her article thusly, in a section entitled, “Limit the Number of Students in Class”: “When students get back from a special activity like gym or recess, they are very wound up. When you have more than 20 kids enter your classroom all at the same time, this can lead to a lot of chaos. Instead, have a few students at a time take turns getting a drink from the water foundation or their water bottles, then enter the classroom. If you have five students at a time enter the classroom instead of 25, you will limit the amount of chaos that will be in your classroom.”

Do you have any tips to help calm students down in school? Please share your expertise, we would love to hear what you do in your classroom. You never know, your ideas may just be the thing that works for other teachers too!

Get our tips on how to use classroom management techniques to calm your class>>

Classroom Games: Winter Brain Breaks
Chances are, it’s cold and windy where you live and teach right now. And with the cold comes the winter doldrums – kids are cooped up, wound up, and ready for just about anything that bucks the normal school day.
Recently, we listed out some classroom games and winter brain breaks designed to break the monotony of a cold winter day. Our ideas, again compiled by contributor Janelle Cox, are great ways to recharge your students on these frigid February mornings and afternoons.
These ideas include:
•    Have a snowball fight (not literally)
•    Winter-Themed Yoga Poses
•    And More!
Do you have any classroom games or fun winter brain break ideas that students love in your classroom?

Sharing Favorite Sites for Teachers

As a new feature on the site, we’d like to let teachers share their favorite websites for school, whether it be for

  • lesson plan ideas
  • learning games
  • amazing blogs
  • grant and donations sites
  • online ed tech software
  • any site you just love and think other teachers would love
A few of my favorites are:
TeacherLingo – This is an everyday stop for me to reaad the latest teacher blogs from across the net. You can upload your blog from other sites too, so get your blog on TeacherLingo and share in the fun!
Brainpop – Brainpop features animated videos on a range of topics, mostly K-8 but some higher up. There’s also a teacher community with supplemental lessons and ideas on how to make the most of Animoto’s videos.
They also have a ESL beta page worth checking out!
eSchoolNews – This ed news site focuses on ed tech, with the latest developments, trends and studies in learning styles.
Animoto – With a quick photo upload, you can have a slideshow video with titles and music in a few minutes. It’s a great way to get students attention and appeal to visual learners with little effort.
“Animoto is a magically-easy way to grab attention… and create new visual contexts.”— Joyce Valenza Ph.D
Jeopardy Quiz Game – This one I haven’t used yet, but my friends are all about it. It’s quiz software online, so you can fill in review questions and make your jeopardy game. You can also search previously-made games that fit your unit.
Unlike the powerpoint versions, this has sound effects, scoring and is just really fun.

5 Teaching Strategies to Help Boost Test Scores

The Common Core State Standards have brought about an increased urgency among educators (and among schools at large) to increase the test scores of their students.

With this in mind, today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned educator on the East Coast of the United States, takes a look at five ways that teachers can increase the test scores of the kids in their class.

Janelle’s ideas include:

  • Give Students In-School Reading Practice
  • Assign Homework Every Day
  • Increase Parental Involvement
  • And More!


In summation, Janelle concludes: “As a teacher, you can only do so much. Your main goal is to see each and every one of your students succeed. Just by reading this article you are doing something. You are taking the time to find ways to get your students to improve. That in itself is enough.”

Do you have any tricks or tips to help your students boost their test scores?

Get our tips on how to increase test scores>>

Fun Classroom Ideas to Celebrate Family History Month
Throughout October, teachers around the U.S. will be commemorating family history moth. It’s a great way for students to get in touch with their own identities, and to learn about their classmates as well.
Today, TeachHUB.com (and TeachHUB magazine) contributor Janelle Cox visits some fresh ideas for teachers and students to celebrate this important month of ancestral recognition. Her new ideas to recognize to family history month include:
•           Prepare a family dish
•           Research the family tree
•           Create a family newspaper
•           And more!
Remember, by learning more about their history, your students will better be able to understand their role in the current world.
Get more classroom ideas to celebrate Family History Month >>
Subscribe to the TeaachHUB.com Newsletter
Each week, we send out an e-newsletter featuring the best articles and ideas from teachHUB.com. It’s the perfect way for you to keep up with what’s new each and every week – and it’s delivered straight to your inbox!
The TeachHUB.com newsletter also offers up an array of new lesson plans each week, and we spotlight the hottest trending articles from our website as well!

BEG, STEAL AND BORROW: BUILDING AN HR ANALYTICS TEAM

Analytics is HR\’s ticket to boardroom respect and business clout — by becoming data-driven, HR can provide the hard evidence and figures that chief executives and finance directors love. Analytics has become a driving force between both marketing and finance in recent years, so why should human resources be any different?
The majority of senior HR professionals \”get\” this message. But there\’s one problem: Putting people analytics into practice is harder than it seems.

A Shift in Perspective — and Skill Set

A big part of the challenge in building people analytics expertise is simply overcoming the traditional HR structure — transforming the people-focused nature of the industry into a data-driven one not only requires a shift in perspective, but also an entirely new set of skills.
The short supply of mathematical and analytical skills in talent management stymies the uptake of HR analytics. A recent Deloitte study found that while three-quarters of companies believe analytics is important, a dismal 8 percent felt their organizations were actually strong in the area.
It can be quite costly to acquire the right skills, too. A Burtch Works survey, for example, found that an entry-level data science role rakes in a median base salary of $91,000. Of course, given unlimited budget and a fabulous brand, it would be no problem to build a full-time team of talented people. But for most of the corporate world, different tactics (and slow steps) are required.

First Steps for Starting Analytics

Before your team goes truffling for analytics talent to bring on, of course, you need to understand exactly what you should be looking for. Analytics is not a solo sport and an entry-level data scientist won\’t cut it. It takes a team of skilled people to truly do analytics right.
There are roughly three skill sets needed: 1) a deep understanding of HR and business, 2) an ability to pull together the data and 3) knowledge of statistical modeling. So, where can you find these skills?
First, look inside the HR department. There may be people within the existing team already demonstrating an aptitude for statistics, or who used it as part of their degree (psychology, for example, has a statistical component to it). With a little training and encouragement, these are the kinds of people who can start making HR data talk.
Alternatively, there may be people from other parts of the company who can move into HR, either on a rotation to share their knowledge or as a permanent move. Employees in the finance department, for example, should be masters at using analytics. Borrow some of their expertise or partner with them to get started.
If you can\’t afford permanent members on your staff, bring in contractors or consultants for specific tasks. Or even contact local universities to see if any of their students are interested in hands-on experience to bolster their studies. Starting with outsourced talent may actually help provide the proof of concept you need to increase your team\’s budget.

How to Build a Full-Time Team

Eventually, there will come a time when borrowing people isn\’t enough and you need to start hiring.
Competition is tough, so you\’ll need to stand out from the crowd. Because HR is usually new analytics territory, it will appeal to ambitious analytics or data experts looking for a challenge. Instead of simply focusing on the technical requirements for the job, discuss the opportunities and untapped possibilities of big data for talent management.
This is particularly true if you\’re aiming to lure the rarest of analytics beasts: the data scientist. These highly sought-after experts have an unusual mix of skills, but what motivates them above all else are new challenges and the ability to use their creativity. If you can promise autonomy and an enticing mix of projects, you will stand a better chance of attracting top analytics talent.
While it is far from easy or quick to get up to full speed with HR analytics, it is also a journey that needs to be started. If HR doesn\’t start doing HR analytics, another department in the company will. In fact, according to research by Harvard Business Review and Visier, 9 percent of organizations have already shifted people analytics out of HR\’s clutches altogether.
Do you really want to cede control over how data informs talent management to another department? Didn\’t think so.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Classroom Activities: Halloween Party Alternatives

It’s no secret that many schools have ceased Halloween celebrations, given many families’ religious beliefs that conflict with the annual end-of-October festivities.
But there are still many ways that educators can acknowledge the crisp fall season without compromising a student’s beliefs.
Here are a couple alternatives to traditional Halloween celebrations that your students will certainly enjoy:
Children’s Book Character Parade – You and your class can dress up as characters from their favorite books and walk through the hall in a parade.
Career Day — This Halloween party alternative lets students to dress up like the professional (lawyer, fireman, web editor, etc.) they would like to be when they become adults.
Fall Festival, or “Falloween” Celebrations — These include field trips to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard, fall-themed pumpkin activities, and learning about plant life and nocturnal animals.
Discover some great new classroom activities that can help you celebrate the autumn season >>
Elsewhere on TeachHUB.com today, we give a rundown of our favorite math apps. These iPad apps for teachers strive to make math something that students look forward to learning and educators eager to teach.
By using these iPad apps for teachers in and beyond your classroom, you will undoubtedly facilitate fun learning and even spark a bit of imagination in your K-8 classrooms.
Learn more about the best math iPad apps for teachers >>
October is Bully Prevention Month. Did you know that TeachHUB can be your go-to resource for an in-service day dedicated to helping your district combat bullying?
Our turnkey in-service solutions feature professional, industry-leading expert speakers and are prepared to give an exceptional presentation on this topic and many others.
In a TeachHUB-led in-service seminar, teachers will participate in various anti-bullying activities and they will anti-bullying strategies they can use to help prevent and intervene with bullying behavior and participate in modeled exercises to create self-awareness within a child.
Teachers will learn how other educators are encouraging anti bullying behavior in and outside of the classroom across the country.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1